Archive

NEW DLC DRAFT POLICIES: Technical Requirements V4.3

The DLC is pleased to release for comment several new and revised Technical Requirements and Testing and Reporting Requirements for categories of solid-state lighting (SSL) products. These revisions are proposed to be added to the Technical Requirements as Table Version 4.3. Comments should be submitted in writing to info@designlights.org and will be accepted through December 1, 2017.

An informational webinar will be held to review the proposed new Technical Requirements on Wednesday, October 18at 1:00pm ET and will be repeated on Friday, October 20 at 2:00pm ET.

The draft V4.3 proposal includes the following expansions and revisions, for which the DLC is seeking comment:

Field-Adjustable Products:

The current DLC dimming policy is being updated to allow products with factory-set or field-adjustable light output to be listed on the DLC SSL Qualified Products List (QPL). The light output of these products can be adjusted by the manufacturer, distributor, or installer before or during installation. This allows manufacturers and distributors to capture greater economies of scale and stock fewer SKUs, reducing manufacturing and distribution costs while providing customers greater flexibility.

This Testing and Reporting Requirements update proposes that field-adjustable products, which include dimmable products, will be tested at the default setting, as well as the highest power setting, if different from the default. The DLC requests feedback on this testing requirement approach.

Color Tuning:

Color tunable lighting is a relatively new lighting system capability where the color of a light source can be changed after it is installed. Lighting can be tuned to end user preferences, to match the color appearance of daylight over the course of the day, or potentially to stimulate a circadian response in the human body. The DLC is proposing new Testing and Reporting Requirements that would enable high quality, energy efficient, color tunable products to be qualified and listed on the DLC SSL QPL. Color tunable products are defined by the requirements as products whose Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) can be adjusted via an input control of any type and whose light output provides white light at all input configurations. The requirements include proposals for both White-Tunable and Dim-to-Warm products. RGB or full color tunable products are outside the scope of this requirements proposal and ineligible for listing at this time.

The DLC requests feedback on the following items:

The proposed requirements have no upper or lower or limit on CCT for White-Tunable products, though products must be capable of producing CCTs less than the relevant 5000K/5700K limits that apply for non-Color Tuning products. Should the DLC set limits on the maximum and/or minimum CCTs for qualifying White-Tunable products?

The draft Color Tuning Testing and Reporting Requirements set a maximum Duv magnitude of 0.012 for qualifying White-Tunable products, which is more permissive than the ANSI standard for CCT bins (C78.377-2015). Should the DLC be considering different limits for qualifying White-Tunable products?

The draft Color Tuning Testing and Reporting Requirements require testing for Dim-to-Warm products at the maximum input of the dimming signal. For Dim-to-Warm products, will the maximum input signal point coincide with the maximum CCT, the maximum light output and/or the maximum power consumption? Or could CCT, Wattage or light output have maximum values at other input values?

The draft Color Tuning Testing and Reporting Requirements require clear instructions for how to achieve the settings required in the testing section. How can DLC verify that the control setting requirements have been followed?

3-foot, 8-foot, and 2G11-Base Replacement Lamps:

The DLC is proposing an update to the replacement lamp product category with new Testing and Reporting Requirements that would enable 3-foot linear replacement lamps, 8-foot linear replacement lamps, and 2G11-Base LED replacement lamps to be qualified and listed on the DLC SSL QPL. Including these lamps will facilitate efficiency program rebates/incentives to be paid on high quality and energy efficient LED replacements in more applications, such as 3-and 8-foot commercial strip fixtures and 2x2 luminaires designed for lamps with a 2G11 base, also known T5 twin-tube compact fluorescent names and trade names PLL and Biax.

The DLC requests input on the following items:

Due to the dimensional limitations of goniophotometers, the proposed requirements for eight-foot lamps propose testing of 4-foot lamps of “identical construction” to the 8-foot lamp where results are then extrapolated to evaluate 8-foot performance. The DLC requests input on this approach.

Currently, the updated Linear Replacement Lamps Testing and Reporting Requirements do not include 8-foot T8HO lamps. The DLC requests information and data on the prevalence of 8-foot High Output LED lamps and whether they should be considered in these draft requirements.

The draft updates to the Four Pin-Base Replacement Lamps Testing and Reporting Requirements include compatibility testing requirements for 2G11-Base lamps. The DLC requests input on the list of ballasts on which to test compatibility.

If you have any questions about the draft requirements outlined in this email, please don't hesitate to email info@designlights.org. We appreciate your comments and feedback and look forward to engaging with you as we continue to develop these policies.